This programme provides information on the Irish way of life and the Irish church before the Norman invasion. It examines the reasons why the Normans invaded Ireland. Dermot McMurrough and Strongbow are identified and their motives and impact on the period examined. The differences between the Irish soldier and the Norman soldier are described in detail.

The programme should enable students to:

• understand and know about the Irish way of life before the Norman invasion
• appreciate the motives and role of Dermot MacMurrough, King Henry II and Strongbow in the Norman invasion of Ireland
• identify the differences between Irish and Norman soldiers and their tactics in battle
• appreciate that the Normans did not conquer all of Ireland